The present invention relates to a novel and improved flexible compartmented package made of a thermoplastic film or a lamination of such films, the package comprising a first chamber able to be employed for the reaction or mixing of substances, and one or more secondary chambers adapted to be filled with fluid or plastic substances. The secondary chambers are separated from the first chamber by means of a sealing seam and are adapted to be brought into communication with the first chamber by destroying a part of the sealed seam.
In German patent application Ser. No. 2,259,014, there is described a multicompartment package in which reactive substances are contained within dimples formed in the the bottom of containing chambers of rectangular form and having an end formed by an obtuse angle. A group of such containing chambers are located within a larger test chamber filled with a test fluid. The sealed seams surrounding the containing chambers are made so that they may be easily destroyed. In order to cause a reactive substance contained in a containing chamber to react with the test fluid contained in the test chamber, the walls of the test chamber are gripped manually in front of the containing chamber end which forms an obtuse angle and these walls are pulled away from each other. Such a multicompartment package is unduly restricted in size and shape since the test chamber must be of such size and form to enable the user to grip its walls and pull them away from each other. In addition, the sealing seams surrounding the containing chambers and the sealing seam enclosing the test chamber must be made in separate operations.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved multicompartment package which avoids the aforesaid disadvantages and which will enable a user to join any of the secondary chambers separately to the primary chamber. Such joining is accomplished at a predetermined location and in a simple manner by merely squeezing or pressing the filled secondary chamber.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved multicompartment package in which one or more secondary chambers are each separated from a primary chamber by a sealing seam having a rupturable portion which is destroyed to break the seal when the secondary chamber is squeezed or pressed, and in which the rupturable portion is of such construction as to insure the destruction thereof even if the secondary chamber has a small or narrow form.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a multicompartment package of the character described in which the rupturable portion of the seal is so located that the charge of substance in the secondary chamber, of rectangular or tapered form, may be transferred over entirely into the primary chamber.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a multicompartment package of the character described which is of such construction as to enable the recycling of the substances mixed in the primary chamber back to secondary chamber after the rupturable portion of the seal has been destroyed and the substance in the secondary chamber has been transferred to the primary chamber for mixing.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a multicompartment package of the character described which is so constructed as to enable the combining of separate substances from two secondary chambers before transferring such substances to the primary chamber.
A further object of the invention is to provide a multicompartment package capable of serving as an X-ray package containing X-ray film and encapsulated substances for developing and fixing said X-ray film in the package, in an extremely easy and convenient manner by simple manual manipulation of the package.